This invention relates to apparatus and methods for automated lumber stock handling, particularly for cutting lumber to avoid defects and produce pieces of particular dimensions in accord with a manifest or other product listing. Specifically, the invention relates to complete defect detection, transport, cutting and labeling systems in which a computer gathers data as to defect location on a raw board and calculates in two dimensions the optimum solution for product pieces to be cut from the board.
The concept of precise and accurate optimum yield computation and cutting, combined with automatic defect avoidance, is one which has long been needed and desired in the lumber-handling industry and in related industries that use lumber, such as the furniture industry. Several devices have heretofore been proposed as solutions to the problems, although none have presented complete solutions. For instance a patent issued to Baldwin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,019, shows a computer-controlled system for cross-cutting pieces of lumber after the lumber has been ripped, that is, cut lengthwise. This approach, however, ignores the fact that the lumber must be optimized in two dimensions in order for it to be fully optimized. The apparatus disclosed in a patent issued to Buss, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,181, being a similar attempt to solve these problems, has similar limitations.
This invention relates to improvements over the apparatus set forth above and to solutions to the problems raised thereby.